Only about 900 going to Molesworth The rest are all being hoofed out to areas around the M50.

Probably all a HQ should have.

Ballsbridge, and particularly the size of it, had a lot to do with the politics of the original merger between the Munster and Leinster Bank, the Provincial Bank of Ireland, and the Royal Bank of Ireland, and the need for a new HQ that could accommodate what were previously three HQs and support staff.

I wouldn't go that far, but it is a spec office build. If AIB wanted the best of architecture, they should have paid for it, like they did for the Ballsbridge campus in fairness. It's a late 60's RKD design, and one of the best examples of the US office campus idea in Dublin. (Admittedly the US examples would not be in the centre of the city, but somewhere off the ring road!).

By the by, the old Irish Cement HQ in Galloping Green, where The Grange apartment development is now, was probably the first proper suburban campus style office development in Dublin.

Ah it looks shit. I know what they were going for and the planners clearly constrained them, but it looks plastic and rubbish. It might age in better.

I was a fan of the concept of it as I'm sick of just glass dominated buildings. Grant Thornton's HQ being built at the moment is an example, apparently it will be very nice inside and will look grand, but it's not particularly original. Up around the old part of town I like the fuller look. The new Arthur Cox building is fantastic as is the two blocks gone up on Dawson Street.

I'm not so sure on Capitol Dock at the moment. Looks decent from a distance but not great up close.

Ah it looks shit. I know what they were going for and the planners clearly constrained them, but it looks plastic and rubbish. It might age in better.

I was a fan of the concept of it as I'm sick of just glass dominated buildings. Grant Thornton's HQ being built at the moment is an example, apparently it will be very nice inside and will look grand, but it's not particularly original. Up around the old part of town I like the fuller look. The new Arthur Cox building is fantastic as is the two blocks gone up on Dawson Street.

I'm not so sure on Capitol Dock at the moment. Looks decent from a distance but not great up close.

My problem with a lot of what has been built in docklands is that they should have had another 10 stories added, and I suspect, that when their 20 yr payback period has ended (which is only another 10 years for some of the mid noughties stuff), they will be demolished and higher buildings will replace them.

EDIT I'll add to that, and say that the Central Bank building is very, very good indeed.

If you want to see docklands properly take the Sir John Rogersons Quay to Dún Laoghaire boat trip. really worth seeing from the waterline.

Are they not allowed to live the lifestyle they have become accustomed to, or some shite like that?

They have creditors that need paying. As the creditors are mostly banks it will be interesting to see do they ask him to explain where he got the guts of € 2m within a couple of months of leaving bankruptcy.

Whilst the old Irish bankruptcy regime was harsh, it stopped shenanigans of this sort.

Does anyone else think that the projected Corpo tax increase looks a little shy. I'd have thought that general economic boom would see profits (and therefore Corpo tax) rising more significantly, and also the recent siting of so much FDI IP in Ireland should also be showing through in increased Corpo tax take ?